1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to more effective calibration and use of light-emitting diodes. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method of calibrating and using light-emitting diodes in a sensor for use with an oximeter system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used in many applications. In certain applications, knowledge of the particular wavelength of operation of the LED is required to obtain accurate measurements. One such application is noninvasive oximeters conventionally used to monitor arterial oxygen saturation.
In conventional oximetry procedures to determine arterial oxygen saturation, light energy is transmitted from LEDs, each having a respective wavelength, through human tissue carrying blood. Generally, the LEDs are part of a sensor attached to an oximeter system. In common usage, the sensor is attached to a finger or an earlobe. The light energy, which is attenuated by the blood, is detected with a photodetector and analyzed to determine the oxygen saturation. Additional constituents and characteristics of the blood, such as the saturation of carboxyhemoglobin and scattering can be monitored by utilizing additional LEDs with additional wavelengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,498 to New, Jr., et al., discloses a pulse oximeter that utilizes two LEDs to provide incident light energy of two different, but carefully selected, wavelengths.
In conventional oximeters, the wavelength of each LED in a sensor must be precisely known in order to calculate accurately the oxygen saturation. However, the sensors are detachable from the oximeter system to allow for replacement or disinfection.
When a sensor is replaced, the LEDs of the new sensor may have a slightly different wavelength for the predetermined LED drive current due to manufacturing tolerances. Accordingly, conventional oximeters provide for indicating to the oximeter the particular wavelength of the LEDs for a given sensor. In one known system, a resistor is used to code each transmission LEDs. The resistor is selected to have a value indicative of the wavelength of the LED. The oximeter reads the resistor value on the sensor and utilizes the value of the resistor to determine the actual wavelength of the LEDs. This calibration procedure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,643, assigned to Nellcor, Inc. Such a prior art sensor is depicted in FIG. 1.
In conventional oximeters which provide an indication of the operational wavelength of each LED for each sensor, the oximeter systems are programmed to perform the desired calculations for various wavelengths. This complicates the design of the oximeter system, and therefore, adds expense to the oximeter system. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide sensors which exhibit the same wavelength characteristics from sensor to sensor.
In addition, conventional sensors require an additional LED for each additional wavelength desired. For replaceable sensors, each LED can add significant total additional cost because of the large number of sensors that are used in hospitals and the like. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a sensor which provides more than one wavelength from a single LED.
Many LEDs are observed to exhibit a wavelength shift in response to a change in drive current, drive voltage, temperature, or other tuning parameters such as light directed on the LED. The present invention involves an improved method and apparatus to calibrate LEDs by utilizing this wavelength shift. In addition, the present invention involves utilizing the wavelength shift to allow a single LED to provide more than one operating wavelength. The addition of a wavelength provides the ability to monitor additional parameters in a medium under test without adding an LED. In oximetry, this allows monitoring of additional constituents in the blood without adding additional LEDs to the oximeter sensor.
The present invention also involves an application of the wavelength shift in LEDs to obtain physiological data regarding the oxygen saturation of blood without knowing the precise operational wavelength of an LED in the sensor.
One aspect of the present invention provides a tuned light transmission network for transmitting light energy at a preselected wavelength. The network has a current source configured to provide a preselected source current with a light emitting diode coupled to the current source. The light emitting diode is of the type that exhibits a shift in wavelength with a shift in a selected tuning parameter. Advantageously, the tuning parameter is drive current or drive voltage. A tuning resistor connected in parallel with the light emitting diode has a value selected to draw at least a first portion of the preselected source current such that a second portion of the preselected source current passes through the light emitting diode. The second portion of the preselected source current is selected to cause the light emitting diode to generate light energy of a preselected wavelength.
In the present embodiment, the tuned light transmission network also comprises a detector responsive to light energy from the light emitting diode to generate an output signal indicative of the intensity of the light energy.
Another aspect of the present invention involves a method for precalibrating a light generating sensor. The method involves a number of steps. A first level of current passing through a light source as required to operate the light source at a preselected wavelength is determined. A second level of current is then defined. The second level of current is higher than the first level of current. The second level of current forms a drive current. A resistor is then selected which when coupled in parallel with the light source forms a tuned light source network. The resistor is selected such that when it is connected in parallel with the light source, it draws a sufficient amount of the drive current such that the first level of current passes through the light source.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of providing two wavelengths from a single light emitting diode. A light emitting diode is selected of the type that exhibits a wavelength shift with a change in drive current through the light emitting diode for a range of drive currents. A source of electrical energy is coupled to the light emitting diode to provide the drive currents. The light emitting diode is driven with a first level of drive current within the range of drive current to cause the light emitting diode to become active and operate at a first wavelength in response to the first level of drive currents. The light emitting diode is then driven with a second level of drive current within the range of drive current and different from the first level of drive current to cause the light emitting diode to become active and operate at a second wavelength in response to the second level of drive current.
In an embodiment where the light emitting diode is configured to transmit light energy to a medium under test, the method comprises further steps. While the light emitting diode is operating at the first wavelength, light is transmitted as a first light energy at the first wavelength through the medium under test. The first wavelength is chosen for a first predetermined attenuation characteristic of the light energy as it propagates through the medium under test. The attenuated light energy is measured from the light emitting diode with a photodetector. In addition, while the light emitting diode is operating at the second wavelength, light energy is transmitted at the second wavelength through the medium under test. The second wavelength is chosen for a second predetermined attenuation characteristic of the light energy as it propagates through the medium under test. The attenuated light energy is measured at the second wavelength from the light emitting diode.
In one advantageous embodiment, the method is used to determine the oxygen saturation of blood, and the medium under test comprises a portion of the human body having flowing blood. In this embodiment, the method further involves coupling the source of energy to a second light emitting diode which operates at a third wavelength distinct from the first and the second wavelengths. Further, the change in wavelength between the first and second wavelengths has a preselected value. Third light energy is transmitted at the third wavelength through the medium under test, and the third light energy is measured after propagation through the medium under test. Based upon the measurements, the oxygen saturation of the blood is determined.
In one embodiment, parameters in addition to oxygen saturation may also be determined relating to the medium under test when the first wavelength has a known value, and the change in wavelength between the first and the second wavelengths has a preselected value. In this embodiment, value of the second wavelength is determined, and another parameter is calculated relating to the blood. In one embodiment, the another parameter is the saturation of carboxyhemoglobin. Alternatively, another parameter is scattering. Yet another parameter is Methhemoglobin.
Advantageously, using the apparatus described above for tuning, the first light emitting diode is adjusted with an adjusting resistor such that the change in wavelength for an incremental change in current matches a preselected wavelength change. Preferably, adjusting involves placing the adjusting resistor in parallel with the first light emitting diode, and selecting the value of the adjusting resistor to cause the first light emitting diode to exhibit the preselected change for the incremental change in current.
Yet a further aspect of the present invention provides an oximeter sensor having a first light emitting device configured to generate a light at a first known wavelength with a resistor in parallel with the first light emitting device. Preferably, the light emitting device comprises a light emitting diode. In one embodiment, the resistor comprises an encoding resistor having a value indicative of the first known wavelength value. The value of the encoding resistor is sufficiently high such that the encoding resistor draws effectively insignificant current during active operation of the first light emitting device.
In another embodiment, the resistor comprises a security resistor having a value indicative that the oximeter sensor is of a predetermined type. In addition, the value of the security resistor is sufficiently high such that the security resistor draws effectively insignificant current during active operation of the first light emitting device.
Still a further aspect of the present invention involves a method of tuning a light emitting diode to operate at a preselected wavelength within a range of wavelengths. The method involves selecting a light emitting diode that exhibits a wavelength shift in response to a change in drive current within a range of drive current and driving the light emitting diode with a first drive current. The wavelength of the light emitting diode during operation at the first drive current is measured, and, if the light emitting diode is not operating at the preselected wavelength, the drive current is adjusted within the range of drive current to a second drive current such that the light emitting diode operates at the preselected wavelength.
Another aspect of the present invention involves a sensor configured to transmit and detect light. The sensor has at least one light emitting element, the light emitting element having an emission with a centroid transmission wavelength. The sensor further has first and second photodetectors, the emission of the light emitting element being within the response of the first and second photodetectors. A light directing member is configured to direct light from the at least one light emitting element to the first and second photodetectors. A filter positioned between the second photodetector and the at least one light emitting element has a transition band selected to encompass the centroid transmission wavelength.
In one embodiment, the sensor comprises an oximeter sensor, and the at least one light emitting element comprises first and second light emitting diodes. Advantageously, the first light emitting diode has a centroid wavelength in the red range and the second light emitting diode has a centroid wavelength in the infrared range. Advantageously, the filter has a transition band which encompasses the centroid wavelength of the first light emitting diode.
In one advantageous embodiment, the light directing member comprises an integrating optical sphere having the first and second photodetectors positioned about the sphere so as to receive substantially equivalent portions of light from the at least one light emitting element.
In another embodiment, light directing member comprises a beam splitting member positioned to substantially equally divide light from the at least one light emitting member and to direct substantially equal portions of the light to the first and the second photodetectors.
Still another aspect of the present invention involves a method of determining the centroid wavelength of a light emitting element. The method involves providing a set of a plurality of predetermined ratios, each of the plurality of predetermined ratios corresponding to an associated centroid wavelength. Light is transmitted from the light emitting element to a first light detecting element to obtain a first intensity, and light is transmitted from the light emitting element through a filter which attenuates the light to a second light detecting element to obtain a second intensity. A ratio of the second intensity to the first intensity is then calculated. The ratio is compared to the set of predetermined ratios to reference the centroid wavelength of the light emitting element.
In one embodiment, the first and second light detecting elements comprise the same light detecting element.